She Who Walks Like An Elf
by Samiz
Summary: A mysterious space-traveller has joined the Fellowship of the Ring. Why does she seem to be hiding her identity? A unique fantasy story; now completed. Enjoy!
1. Prologue: Arrival

**Author's Note:** This adventure brings the Fellowship of the Ring face-to-face with a character I created for a very different world. I wanted to let her have another story (she has already starred in one, which I will discuss later). Unfortunately, I have not read Tolkien's epic trilogy, so this is based primarily on Peter Jackson's Middle-Earth. Read and review!  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the shuttle, its operator and its passenger.  


* * *

  
Dusk was falling on the forest when the pale craft descended from the sky. Moving faster than any bird, it swept at a steep angle towards the trees. The vessel landed rather unceremoniously on the ground, and a door in its side quietly slid open.  
  
Stumbling out of the shuttle, the girl in the blue dress glanced warily at her surroundings. They had set her down in a forest clearing. Leaves littered the mossy ground. A small stream, hidden in the undergrowth, babbled nearby. Beyond the trees, the tops of great snow-capped mountains were tinged by the setting sun.   
  
_This isn't where I want to be_, she thought to herself. _The ocean is nowhere in sight_.   
She turned to complain to the shuttle operator - and found nothing there. The shuttle had vanished. Only the marks of its skids on the forest floor and a thin trail of smoke dissipating in the evening breeze showed that anything had been there at all.  
  
Cursing the ignorance of the young shuttle operator and the notorious silence of modern shuttle engines, the girl sat down to ponder her misfortune. A native of the planet commonly known as Tryllva, she had embarked on a world-hopping starcraft voyage to help overcome a lingering grief. She was rather well-known on her home planet, but her current appearance acted as a disguise of sorts. She had eagerly accepted the offer of a visit to the coastal towns of this world, but instead had been deposited in the middle of a forest, far from the sea. The shuttle would return for her, but not for some time. What was worse, she had no idea where she was - or how the inhabitants of this world would react to her.   
  
_I'll be safest as I am_, she decided. Pulling her cloak tightly around her, she slipped into a dreamless sleep beneath the darkening sky.  
  



	2. Boromir's Discovery

See the first chapter for the complete Author's Note. Please read and review!  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of Tolkien's world.  


* * *

  
The air was cool, and a light breeze rustled the leafy tops of the great trees. In the forest clearing, eight sleepers were beginning to stir. A tall man, wrapped in a cloak against the early-morning chill, bent over a rough circle of stones in the centre of the clearing to feed twigs onto the smoky beginnings of a fire. He had kept watch over his companions for most of the night, and now moved away from the fire to wake them.   
  
As he moved among the recumbent forms, rousing those who were not already stirring, his eye was drawn to a greyish shape at the edge of the clearing. It had been there when they made camp late last night, and he had assumed it was a rock. By the time Aragorn had roused him to stand watch in the small hours of the morning, he had forgotten about it. But now, as the sun climbed higher and more light filtered into the clearing, he could see that it more closely resembled a bundle of cloth. In fact, it looked almost like a curled-up, sleeping hobbit, except for the size. As he watched, Boromir seemed to see the object move slightly. Glancing back over his shoulder to check that the rest of the Fellowship was accounted for, he advanced towards the mysterious object with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.  
  
He knelt next to the form, which was indeed covered in grey-green woven cloth, and had a faint, somewhat fishy odour. Suddenly it stirred; a human-looking hand emerged and lifted one of the folds of cloth, and Boromir found himself facing a dark-haired maiden in a hooded cloak, who was staring at him with a look of shock in her eyes.


	3. A Strange Visitor at Breakfast

See the first chapter for the complete Author's Note.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of Tolkien's world.  
**Reviews:** I have had a grand total of two reviews so far. I hope to get more, and will do my best to deserve them. Thank you, Sita. :) Yes, Eclipse, the first two chapters are short, for what I hoped was dramatic effect. Sorry; I thought it was only a Mary-Sue when the introduced character was destined for a romance with one of the Fellowship. *shrugs*. Glad you like it.  


* * *

  
Who are you, and what is your business here? demanded the man. By now he had been joined by two gaping hobbits and an equally curious, though more tactful elf. You can call me Leya replied the girl, who had recovered from her momentary surprise. Her words were clear, but her voice had a strange accent that none of them could identify.  
I do not know where I am, and I cannot return to where I come from ...uh ...at this time. I had no idea your party would be passing this way - indeed, I do not know who you are.  
  
She addressed Boromir, but as she spoke she became conscious of a long shadow falling over the listening group. Looking up, the girl known as Leya saw a tall, long-bearded man dressed all in grey. He had an air of wisdom to which all the others seemed to defer, and he quite casually took over the questioning.  
  
Having ascertained that the girl knew nothing of Sauron, Saruman or the Rings of Power, Gandalf motioned for her to move closer to the fire. Gratefully, she did so, and breakfasted on some sort of gruel which was ladled out for her from a metal pot resting near the coals. As she and the others ate, Leya could feel them all staring at her with varying degrees of inconspicuousness, and heard a few whispers as though she was being discussed privately.   
_I suppose I'm a rather strange sight_, she thought to herself; _after all, their womenfolk probably don't run around in the forest alone - not dressed like me, anyway_.   
  
Indeed, the Fellowship was quite at a loss as to their visitor's origin. She was clad in a sleeveless, faded pale blue dress and a grey-green hooded cloak. A small cloth pouch and a sheathed dagger nearly as long as a hobbit sword hung from her woven belt. Brown hair fell a little past her shoulders in an oily-looking braid. She had brown eyes under thick dark brows, and her ears seemed very slightly pointed. Her feet were bare and rough, but their hairlessness and her human stature proclaimed she was no hobbit. As they watched her, Leya rose and moved closer to the fire.  
  
Tell me - who are you, and what journey are you making? asked the girl.   
We would ask the same of you, young maiden replied the grey-bearded man, picking up a wooden staff, but we must move on while the day is still young. If you are truly lost, as you said, then..., here he paused to think, ...you may accompany us until you find more familiar lands.  
  
Several of the others seemed startled at this, including the man who had first noticed Leya, but she readily agreed to the proposal. Before long the fire was out, the ashes scattered, and the Fellowship was on the move, with the girl walking beside them.  



	4. Towards the Mountains

See the first chapter for the complete Author's Note.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of Middle Earth - Tolkien's _or_ Peter Jackson's.  
**Reviews:** Only two reviews so far?! C'mon, you can do better than that! I certainly hope more than two people are reading this. Isn't anyone the slightest bit curious? :p  


* * *

  
As the Fellowship walked, the girl Leya peppered them with questions. Their quest was briefly described, and each introduced himself. When she heard of Aragorn's life as a Ranger and the many names he was called by, she relaxed a little._ Perhaps I'm not so strange to them after all,_ she thought. _He is an enigmatic traveller too. But he is of their world, which I am not, and they clearly trust him._ _I wonder if they'll ever trust me. _Her reverie was interrupted by Aragorn's reminder that it was time for her to introduce herself and explain her presence in the forest.  
_  
_After a moment's pause, Leya began to speak. I came from ...a land far away, beyond the lands of Middle Earth. _ I won't tell them it's another planet, _she decided._ If I remember correctly, no race on this planet has developed space-flight, so it would just be confusing_. I came here to... to travel and enjoy the various lands of Middle Earth and the hospitality of their peoples. I had intended to visit the sea, but... through accident found myself in this forest. I cannot return to my own land for some time. She felt guilty at her omissions, even though what she had said was mostly true.  
  
Your journey was ill-timed, Leya the traveller. Darkness and evil are spreading through Middle Earth from Mordor. I daresay you would not have found Sauron's land very hospitable pronounced Gandalf wryly. Now that you know of our perilous quest, can you not see why we at first distrusted you? Your tale is a strange one, after all. I myself am rather inclined to believe it. A spy would choose one of the races of Middle Earth for his disguise, not claim to have journeyed from unknown lands.  
  
By now they had left the forest behind. The mountains loomed before them, snow-capped and intimidating. Leya was just about to ask whether they intended to cross the mountains when someone shouted . She ducked beneath a ledge of rock, and saw the others do the same as a cloud of black creatures appeared in the sky, circling overhead. Curious, she turned to Legolas, who had taken shelter under the same ledge. He explained that they were birds called crebain', and acted as Saruman's spies. He seemed intrigued by the fact that Leya had not heard or seen their approach.  
You are no elf, then said he, as they crept out from their hiding place.  
No, I am not an elf. Do all elves have such sharp senses?  
Yes, indeed; we elves can see and hear much clearer and farther than the other races. Especially dwarves, who have little use for sight in their dark mines he added in a mocking tone, half-turning towards Gimli. The dwarf glared at Legolas, and snarled something that Leya couldn't quite hear, but it all seemed rather good-natured somehow. Leya decided it did not concern her, and moved away from the two towards Gandalf.  
  
However, before she reached him, she was accosted by two hobbits. She knew one of these small people carried the magic ring that was the reason for their journey, but these were two of the others - Merry and Pippin were their names. She remembered them as the ones who had gaped at her in the clearing when she awoke. They seemed mischievous and curious, and she looked down at them with a smile as they walked along.  
  
We heard you tell Legolas you're not an elf began Pippin but you look a bit like one to us.  
Leya couldn't help replying And do all tall people whose ears are a little bit pointed look like elves to you? but the excited hobbits were serious - well, as serious as they could be, anyway.   
No, but... uh.... The little hobbit seemed to be having difficulty putting his observations into words, and finally pronounced: But you're a bit more elfy than that; you even... kind of... walk like an elf, somehow.  
  
_Well, I'm probably more graceful than Aragorn and Boromir,_ she decided. _So perhaps these hobbits think all big people are slow and clumsy. Or am I a little strange, even for a human?  
_Merry's insistent voice dispersed her thoughts. You came here from some faraway land - how'd you manage it? Was it magic like Gandalf and the elves have?.  
At the mention of magic, Leya perked up for a moment, then grew pensive. She seemed to be holding something back, though what it was no one could guess.   
Not exactly magic... well, no, I suppose it was a sort of magic... _How do I explain space-flight to them? _she wondered_. _At any rate, I... uh... can't work that magic myself, and someone who can will not be here for many days. That's why I'm with you.  
I wonder what it's like where she comes from, Merry wondered Pippin, looking excited.  
I bet there's all sorts of strange creatures. Maybe even orcs and trolls and **dragons**!  
  
Leya chuckled. The other two hobbits (one leading a small pack-pony) had joined them, and the mood seemed momentarily lighter. she replied. Maybe dragons. Lifting the edges of her cloak with her hands, she tossed her braid from side to side like a tail. Leya stretched her neck, pretending to sniff the air, and circled the group of hobbits. She flapped her cloak in convincing imitation of a pair of wings, and a fierce light grew in her eyes as she swooped towards them with a snarl.  
At first they laughed at her imitation of a dragon, but Leya soon sensed the pony was growing nervous, and its handler wore a disapproving frown. She abandoned her darting, flapping antics and composed herself just as they abruptly caught up to the rest of the party. Pippin seemed about to compliment her amusing show, but was swiftly hushed by Merry.  
  
The group had stopped moving, and Leya noticed that the rising ground on which they stood was, in fact, the lower slopes of a huge mountain. Its upper reaches were covered in snow, and its peak was lost in the clouds high above. Leya had never seen such a formidable sight. Gandalf was speaking to Legolas and the men, and Gimli was grumbling in a dissatisfied manner. Finally Aragorn saw fit to inform her briefly of their plan.  
  
They were going to cross the mountains. And they were going to do it **here**.  



	5. Mountain and Stream

If you're wondering why I don't make more mention of the weightier things the Fellowship discuss, it's because Leya doesn't concern herself with that sort of thing. Besides, she doesn't hear half of it and they don't bother explaining everything.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own any part of Middle Earth. Why, I didn't manage to smuggle so much as a nailhead out of the White City. *sigh* ;p  
**Reviews:** Thanks for reviewing, Sita! I don't think I'm allowed to respond to your questions, but I'm glad you're intrigued. I think I said something about her home planet in the Prologue. :)  


* * *

  
As the Fellowship ascended the slopes of Caradhras, the air grew colder, and before long there were small amounts of snow on the path. The higher they climbed, the deeper the snow became. Leya's bare feet grew numb, and at the first opportunity, she took some rope and rough cloth from the pony's panniers and improvised a pair of shoes. The little pack-pony seemed not to mind the snow, for his coat was long and shaggy, but Sam, who led him, was soon visibly suffering. All the hobbits, in fact, grew tired and chilled quite rapidly, and Leya was not even able to find enough spare cloth in the packs to make them foot wraps like her own.  
  
The others, concerned for the Ring-Bearer, frequently stopped to let the hobbits catch up. At one point Frodo actually let the Ring fall, and Leya could see that Boromir was taking an unnatural interest in it. He hurried to pick it up before it sank into the snow, and seemed quite reluctant to part with it. For the first time, Leya began to worry about the Ring and its power. She hadn't felt any particular attraction to the shiny object herself, but it seemed capable of having an enormous impact on her fellow travellers.  
  
They tried to rest under a rocky ledge when darkness fell, but the fear of freezing to death prevented sleep. Leya dozed a little, wrapped in her cloak and huddled together with the hobbits for warmth. An attempt was made at lighting a fire, and when it failed the party moved on, still tired and chilled to the bone.  
  
At last they found themselves on a high, narrow path fringed with huge icicles and blanketed with deep snow. On one side was the black rising wall of the mountain; on the other side a precipitous drop to its lower slopes. The wind was blowing fiercely as they climbed along the path, and the two men broke trail for the rest only with difficulty. Leya was astonished to see that Legolas could walk lightly on top of the snow, despite the fact that it was newly fallen and therefore had no crust at all. To take her mind off her own feet, which were burning with cold inside their sodden wrappings, she asked him how he managed such a miraculous trick.  
  
All elves have this skill he replied. He had just opened his mouth to say more when a thunderous bellow was heard. With terrible swiftness, the whole sky seemed to come rolling down from the peak of Caradhras. Leya flung herself away from the cliff-edge towards what shelter the bare rock wall could provide, but was a fraction of a second too slow. A massive chunk of snow slammed into her, and then all was quiet.  
  
Leya could see nothing but white, and felt nothing but the cold weight of the snow pressing in from all sides. There was so much snow in front of her that she could scarcely breathe. Everything had grown quiet, and she realized that the snow-slide was probably over. Leya pushed hard with arms and legs to try to free herself, but the snow was packed tightly on all sides and her feet ached with each kick. Finally, she succeeded in forming a hole in the snow above her and took deep breaths of the cold air. Then a hand reached into the hole, and she grasped it thankfully. Clawing and pushing at the snow with her other hand, Leya was helped to safety by Aragorn just in time to hear Gimli loudly expounding upon the benefits of passing through some place called the Mines of Moria.  
  
From what Leya could hear, this was the alternative to their current situation. _Why didn't we go that way in the first place?_ she wondered. _It sounds a lot better than dying of cold on this cruel mountain. Besides, I lost my foot wraps crawling out of the snow, and my feet will freeze if we have to walk much farther!  
  
_Fortunately, the decision was soon made to pass through the Mines of Moria. No-one had been lost in the avalanche, and the journey downhill was somewhat easier. Soon they had left the snow behind them, at which the hobbits looked especially glad. Leya suspected that their feet, and hers, had narrowly escaped frostbite.  
  
That night they made camp beside a fast-flowing stream in the shadow of the mountains. While stew was cooked over a blazing fire, Leya walked down to the water. _I'd love to have a swim_, she thought; _I feel filthy, and the water looks so inviting. But we'll have to be on the move at sunrise. I'll get the night watch to wake me early, so I'll have time. _Having made her decision, Leya moved back to the fire to warm her feet.  
  
The fire was reduced to coals and the sky was beginning to pale by the time Gandalf woke her. Politely, he turned his back as she walked to the edge of the stream. The moon was still bright, and Leya marveled at the amount of light it shed. After the bitter chill of the mountain, the night air seemed positively warm as she unbuttoned her dress and set it on the ground. She stepped into the cool rushing water, unbraiding her hair as she did so. With a sigh of relief, Leya sat down on her heels, lowering her head into a tiny waterfall. Her foot touched a patch of sand on the stream bed, and she grabbed a handful and began to scrub herself with it. She even rubbed sand into her hair until the water running off it no longer bore an oily film.   
  
_It feels good to be in water, even if it isn't salt,_ mused Leya, sluicing water over her arms. The small, half-forgotten scars on her shoulder caught the light of the moon. Her fingers traced the similar scars on her other shoulder and behind each hip, and she smiled sadly as she thought of the past.   
  
_It is really too bad that he died so young - and of course there was Mahalo, too; it's horrible that he was killed. _She sank down, letting the stream wash a tear off her face. _The other two are going their own ways now, and these scars are all I have_. Her mind reeled back over a long string of terrible days, horrors of war and tragedy that ended a short time of happiness. _But there was happiness afterwards_, she reminded herself, _and many things changed for the better. _Leya pulled herself back from the past, setting her memories aside. The eastern sky was red and the stars had faded; soon the Fellowship would be stirring. She slid out of the water, shook herself dry as best she could and struggled into her dress.  
  
_I shouldn't dwell on the sorrows of the past, _she told herself, removing a comb and a small jar from the bag hanging at her belt_. Here in Middle Earth there are different dangers and sorrows to face.  
  
_But it was neither danger nor sorrow she faced when she casually turned her head in the direction of the campsite. It was Legolas.  



	6. Two Incidents by the Water

Isn't anyone curious about Leya's identity, and the identities of those she was dreaming of in the last chapter?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own any part of Middle Earth. *sigh* ;p  
**Reviews:** I need more of these. Please!!  


* * *

  
Being an elf, Legolas needed little sleep, and had risen early to search for the path that led towards the Mines of Moria. He was sure that it lay in the direction of the stream, and as he walked, he indeed saw signs of a trail leading to the water. He followed it, but when he neared the bank of the stream he was startled to find the strange maiden climbing out of the water, naked and dripping. Her back was towards him, so for a moment she remained unaware of his presence. His sharp eyes were drawn by her smooth elf-like movements, and by the scars visible on her shoulders and hips, which seemed to bespeak some unknown trial in the girl's past. Legolas had begun to wonder afresh what sort of creature she really was when Leya, who had swiftly dressed herself, casually turned towards him.  
  
Leya's eyes widened for a moment, but she did not shriek as most maidens would have. She seemed merely startled by Legolas' presence, not concerned for her modesty. She wrung out her hair, then sat down on the bank of the stream and began removing the stopper from a small jar she held in her hand.  
What are you doing up so early? she asked casually. I decided to have my bath now because I thought everyone was asleep.  
I was searching for the trail that leads us out of this place was the reply, and I believe we must cross this stream to find it. He knew there was something important she hadn't told him, but was unsure how to politely ask a maiden about her secrets. Perhaps she would reveal them over time.  
  
While he pondered, the maiden in question tipped a small quantity of a pale liquid from her jar onto the long tail of hair hanging over her shoulder. She began to work a large carved comb through the hair as she spoke.   
What is this Moria place we are going to?  
It is an ancient dwarvish stronghold, answered Legolas, and therefore probably quite unfit for elves and for the likes of you. It consists of a series of underground caverns and tunnels, which should lead us under the mountain range and out on the other side.  
  
Leya was unsure what the elf had meant by the likes of you, but suspected he was curious about her identity and wanted her to complain and reveal her heritage somehow. _I wonder what he would say if I did reveal myself_, she thought. _I daresay he'd be greatly surprised. _A small smile played about her lips as she continued combing her hair.  
  
By now the girl's strange toilette, as well as her secrets, had aroused Legolas' curiosity. Unable to avoid noticing the faint, strangely fishy odour of her hair ointment, he politely inquired as to its nature. Her small smile broke into a broad grin. It is oil extracted from the fish of my homeland she explained and keeps my hair shiny and free of tangles. Surely you must use a similar oil yourself. The elf looked taken aback. Elven hair needs no tonics or oils! he retorted, somewhat too vehemently. It's good that you need none she blurted out, laughing, for I have only this small jar, and you shouldn't try to make it out of... uh, out of any other fish, because... this kind has less odour.   
  
_I almost slipped that time_, she thought, weaving her oiled hair into a braid. _I was about to tell him that Tryllvan fish have less odour than those of other planets, and then I'd have had a lot of explaining to do_.  
Legolas seemed about to ask another question, but Leya politely cut him off by pointing out the rising sun, and reminding him that the others were surely stirring back at the campsite.   
  
Leya and Legolas breakfasted with the others, explaining their long absence half-truthfully as an attempt to find the path. After they had eaten, the Fellowship packed their gear and moved on, following the trail that crossed the stream. They journeyed all day, keeping the formidable mountain range in sight, and by evening had come to the shores of a lake. Here they stopped, and Gandalf announced that they had arrived.   
  
Leya was not the only one who looked askance at Gandalf now, for there was no cave or mine to be seen, only a sheer cliff that rose from the narrow shore of the lake and seemed to merge with the side of the mountain.   
  
The wizard was saying something about a door, but Leya wondered if he had mistaken the place, for no door could be seen anywhere. Just at that moment the rising moon slipped out from behind a cloud, and a shimmering tracery of silvery lines became visible on the black face of the cliff. Leya was astounded. _What did Gandalf say? Oh yes,_ she remembered, _something about a precious material that reflects only starlight and moonlight. How amazing. _The glowing lines clearly outlined a door, and Gandalf set himself to work figuring out the password that would open it. In the meantime, the pack-pony was unloaded and driven off, for he would be of little use in the cave.   
  
Gandalf stood deep in thought for some time, and the bored hobbits began to throw stones into the lake to amuse themselves. Leya made no move to stop them in their seemingly harmless game, but Aragorn soon reprimanded them for disturbing the water, in tones that frightened her with their seriousness.  
  
At last someone managed to figure out the password, and the huge stone door creaked open as though pushed by some invisible hand. Beyond it was nothing but blackness; there was no way of knowing how deep the tunnel went. The group had begun to move through the door when a strange sound came from the water. A ripple slid across the surface of the pool, and Leya, growing curious, moved a step closer to the shore. Before anyone had time to think, a slimy tentacle shot out of the water and wrapped itself around Frodo.   
  
It seemed as though everyone was screaming at once. Leya was shocked; she had not suspected such creatures could exist! Aragorn and Legolas moved to rescue the hobbit, and she wondered if she should assist them. _I could_ ..._change,_ she thought, _and then I'd be a better match for that awful thing. _She took another step towards the water, and was about to leap to Frodo's rescue when the monster was put into retreat by a few well-aimed blows of Aragorn's sword._ It seems they can handle it all right; and I wouldn't want to scare them anyway, _was her final decision. The tentacled creature released its captive, and everyone fled into the dark doorway, which was sealed behind them by a rockslide caused by the monster's flailing. In the panic, no-one noticed the strange bluish tint of Leya's skin, the fierce light in her eyes, or the stiff claw-like curve of her fingers, all of which faded rapidly until she looked the same as she always had.  
  
In the pitch-darkness of the tunnel, Gandalf used magic to strike a light. The pale glow illuminated broad steps carved out of the rock, leading upwards. To Leya's horror, it also revealed armour-clad skeletons sprawled in every corner.  



	7. The Mines of Moria

Sorry for the long gap between chapters; I didn't have access to my computer for a while. I'm back now, and I'll finish this story, so hang in there!  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but Leya and her mysteries. ;)  
**Reviews:** I haven't been getting any reviews - isn't anyone reading this?   


* * *

  
Several days into the Mines of Moria, Leya felt more nervous than she had for a very, very long time. The watcher in the water, as the others called it, had shown her that there were dangerous creatures in this world. Now they were wandering in a cave whose occupants had been slain by just such creatures. Leya didn't know what an was, but the word was on everyone's lips, and she had no desire to learn why orcs inspired such fear.   
  
_I wouldn't want to live in a cave like this_, she thought, letting the mysterious orcs slip from her mind momentarily. _ It's so far underground, and so dark! I'll take a nice clean beach cave any day, with a wide doorway and a sandy floor..._. Her thoughts drifted away to her far-off seaside home back on Tryllva. Lost in reverie, Leya stumbled blindly behind the rest of the party, scarcely noticing the carved portals and pillared halls through which they passed. She broke out of her daze, however, as they entered a room filled with light. She blinked confusedly for a moment before noticing the hole in the ceiling that admitted the sun's glow. The shaft of light fell directly onto a carved stone box in the centre of the room, over which Gimli was loudly lamenting. It became clear to Leya that this was the sarcophagus of Gimli's cousin, slain by the same creatures that had littered the cave's other chambers with skeletons.  
  
They looked about them, and Gandalf discovered a mouldering book in the bony hands of a skeleton sprawled upon the floor. He pried it from the dead dwarf's grasp and lifted it into the light. Carefully turning the crumbling pages, the wizard began to read aloud. The book was some sort of chronicle or diary, and the passages Gandalf shared painted a chilling picture of a beseiged population being picked off one by one.   
  
Most of the Fellowship listened intently, and were horrified by what they heard. Pippin backed away from the door, glancing around nervously, but quickly became distracted. Leya saw him out of the corner of her eye, poking around near what appeared to be an old well. Suddenly, a skeleton which he had been examining disintegrated, and most of its bones toppled into the well, along with the old well-bucket and its chain. The noise startled everyone, reverberating loudly in the stone chamber, and continued for some time before the objects reached the bottom of the well. Gandalf berated Pippin ferociously for creating such a disturbance. Leya thought he was perhaps a little too ferocious, considering the accidental nature of the upset, and wrapped her cloak comfortingly around the trembling hobbit as soon as Gandalf's back was turned.  
  
It was not long, however, before the far-off sound of drums let them know that the enemy was aware of their presence. The heavy wooden doors were locked and barricaded, and everyone readied their weapons. _Should I ...change myself?_ wondered Leya. As she wavered, undecided, inhuman screams and the sound of running footsteps approached the door. Thinking _this will have to do_, Leya unsheathed her longknife as they found themselves under attack.  
  
At first, only arrows were effective against the crowd of monsters battering at the doors, but all too soon the barricade had shattered and orcs poured through the gap. Remembering the importance of the Ring-bearer, Leya stood with the hobbits, lashing out at any orcs that got close enough. However, her longknife, a versatile tool common on Tryllva, proved to be of little use due to the orcs' heavy, irregularly constructed armour. Before long, the hobbits were defending **her** with their sturdy swords. _This is ridiculous,_ Leya thought. _Can't I be of any help at all?  
  
_The tide of orcs had been stemmed, thanks primarily to the efforts of Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir, but there was one threat still to face. An large grey lumpy creature, announced by Boromir as a cave troll, had entered with the orcs and was now thundering around the room waving a heavy club. As she and the hobbits fled from the beast, Leya began to panic. Her longknife would be useless against its thick hide, and the hobbits would not be able to get close enough to attack it. _I need to distract it somehow, so that they can hide_, she thought as the troll barreled past them.  
Suddenly, a fierce light grew in her eyes. _ I'll change! I can't believe I forgot!  
  
_Leya moved carefully away from the hobbits while the cave troll's back was turned, and stood in plain view on the other side of the room. For a split second, all was still. Sam looked puzzled. Merry shook his head. Frodo appeared worried. Pippin covered his eyes. Gimli motioned to her to hide behind a nearby pillar. The cave troll grunted and lowered its head, as though preparing to charge.   
Leya quietly muttered a brief spell.   
  
_It will be good to take my true form_, Leya reflected, her thoughts momentarily turned inward. She leaned forward to allow her growing arms to reach the floor, and stretched her neck as her face changed its shape. The room seemed to shrink, and she felt her dress disappear as her tail shot out from the end of her spine. All sounds seemed magnified, and her vision rapidly increased in acuity. Finally, half-spreading the strong wings that lay along her back, Leya raised her head and roared a challenge at the cave troll.  
  
The startled beast paused in mid-charge, and stumbled. As it righted itself, shaking off Aragorn and Legolas, it spotted the hobbits. The grey-skinned troll lunged towards them. Its back was now turned towards Leya, and she leapt onto it, digging her claws in deeply. The room was not large enough for her to fly, so she clung for dear life to the raging creature as it tried to shake her off. Below her, Aragorn swung his sword and Gimli wielded his axe while Legolas aimed his arrows into the troll's face. At last, the cave troll collapsed on the ground, and with a last bite to its head, Leya stumbled off the monster's back.   
  
When she looked up, Legolas was leveling an arrow at her head.  



	8. A Dragon and a Balrog

As you can see, I am trying to incorporate main events from the movie (at least) without allowing Leya's presence to alter the plot too drastically.  
**Disclaimer:** Alas, I don't own Middle-Earth.   
**Reviews:** Thank you, Sunrunner and manson-gothic-chick (and linz32 - sorry I didn't respond to your review earlier), for reading She Who Walks Like An Elf! I wanted to make the story compelling, and it looks like it worked! :)  


* * *

  
NO!! LEGOLAS, IT'S ME! shouted Leya, panicking. Her bellowing - she had forgotten the power of her natural voice - echoed loudly in the stone chamber, and the elf being addressed dropped his bow and clapped his hands to his sensitive ears. Sheepishly, she continued in a softer tone I'm Leya. The echo of her shouting died away, and in the hush that followed, Leya was conscious of nine pairs of astonished eyes turned towards her. _Now I'm in for it_, she groaned inwardly. _I'll have an awful lot to explain. Will they trust me now, or will they think I'm a spy? From what I've heard, dragons here are considered evil. _She pressed her wings tightly against her sides to hide the nervous quivering of her blue-skinned flanks._  
  
_It was Gandalf who broke the silence first. He chuckled I have had dealings with dragons before, but never would I have expected to encounter a helpful one. It struck me from the start that you were no ordinary maiden, and now I see why. Your magic must be strong to enable such a transformation, and therefore I am grateful that you are not allied with Sauron. As soon as he had finished speaking, the rest of the Fellowship began to address Leya, simultaneously and loudly. Startled by the babble of voices, she raised one foreleg and asked for silence. She had to ask several times before everyone obeyed. Then she began to explain.  
  
I am Leya Starsong. I first met you in the guise of a human girl, but that is merely the shape that I assume for safety in places where dragons may be disliked. This is the body that I hatched from the egg with, more than forty years ago. At the mention of her true age, several eyebrows shot up in surprise. The corners of her mouth curved in a small smile; she knew perfectly well that her human body looked only about nineteen.   
  
It is true that I came from afar. It is also true that I have had no dealings with any evil power, for I am not a dragon of your world. Where I come from, my kind walk freely among humans, and are regarded by them much as one race might regard another here - respected and different, but no more and no less.   
  
Gimli muttered that he would beg to differ when it came to the way dwarves regarded elves, but Leya sensed she had not been intended to hear the comment. Legolas had picked up on it, however, and gave a little snort of laughter. Sam, who had been staring at Leya with something akin to disbelief ever since her transformation, took advantage of the interruption to speak up. D'you breathe fire? asked the hobbit in a distrustful voice.  
  
Leya chuckled. I am a pure-bred sea-dragon, and therefore do not spit fire as some dragons do. Even if I did, I would take the greatest care not to harm any of you. However, sea-dragons - wait. She stopped talking and glanced around, suddenly on the alert. I hear orcs coming from the other caverns. We should get out of here quickly Leya announced. The sound was drawing closer and closer. They fled the chamber, and entered a long high-pillared hall just as the foul creatures appeared.  
  
Orcs seemed to pour from every corner of the hall, and soon surrounded the party, kept at bay only by the light of Gandalf's staff and a torch that Aragorn had found. Leya snarled fiercely, swiping with her claws at any that got close enough. Legolas was readying an arrow on his bow when the orcs' squeals suddenly took on a note of alarm. The monsters scattered, in apparent terror, just as a dull red glow appeared at the far end of the hall. The Fellowship, huddled so closely around Leya that she could scarcely move, watched the approach of the eerie light. An unimpressed-sounding Gandalf quickly identified the source of the glow as a . His description of it sounded formidable. In an instant, they were running again, out of the hall and into a dark landscape of bridges and canyons so perilous that Leya ran with her wings half-spread in case she should fall.   
  
One rickety stone bridge shattered beneath them as they crossed it, leaving the Fellowship barely enough time to scramble across. Leya leapt into the air as the bridge crumbled and seized Frodo, who, along with Aragorn, was stranded on the other side of the break. Clutching the hobbit tightly in her forelegs and beating her wings frantically, she crossed the canyon and landed safely on the other side just as the others left the bridge. There was no time for Leya to be congratulated for saving the Ring-bearer, however; she set him down and they continued to run. Soon another wide chasm gaped before them, which could be crossed at what Gandalf called the bridge of Khazad-dûm. This bridge was narrow, but fortunately did not crumble under their feet, although Leya took the precaution of flying across anyway. No sooner had they reached the far side than the creature which had been pursuing them decided to show itself.  
  
The Balrog was enormous, and the fierce heat it radiated was almost unbearable even from across the bridge. Brandishing a flaming whip, it lowered its horned head and belched flames in their direction. Leya watched as Gandalf, dwarfed by the monster's bulk, strode to the middle of the bridge. Meanwhile, orcs lurking high in the cavern's ceiling began to fire their barbed arrows at the party.  
Then Leya remembered something that she had been about to mention back at the tomb of Balin, after her transformation.  
  
Have you any water to spare? Where are the wineskins full of water? she asked, turning from one member of the Fellowship to another. Hurriedly, she drained their skins and bottles of water, deflecting curious or angry looks with a terse I'll explain later. _I need more, though_, she thought, trotting anxiously up and down the path. At last Leya discovered a spring-fed pool in a crevice in the rock. It was not particularly clean, but she pushed her snout into the water and drank until the pool was almost empty. _That's filled my second stomach. Now to create a diversion_, thought the dragon as she turned away from the rock wall - and toppled off the cliff.  
  
Leya's webbed feet clawed the air frantically as she fell. Leaping from the ledge was one thing, tumbling unexpectedly was another. The bridge was already far above her, and she could see the dueling fires of Gandalf and the Balrog as they battled back and forth. Her wings seemed to take forever to open, but finally her descent was slowed. A dead orc fell past, one of Legolas' arrows lodged in its forehead. Leya pumped her wings, savouring the faint snapping sound the purplish membranes made as the air filled them. She saw the upturned faces of the Fellowship as she shot past like a blue and mauve rocket. Then she came to a halt in midair and hovered beside the bridge.   
  
If the Fellowship of the Ring had been astonished by the sudden appearance of a slender eight-metre-long dragon, the Balrog was completely baffled. It lashed at Leya with its whip, but even with a bellyful of water she was agile enough to dart out of the way. It roared, blasting white-hot flames in her direction, and she folded her wings and dove. While it was occupied with her, Gandalf moved closer, shouting powerful spells in an attempt to stop the thing in its tracks. When the flame beast turned back towards the wizard, Leya saw her chance.   
Swooping as close as she dared, the dragon twisted in midair and opened her mouth. In a fraction of a second her throat expanded, her belly tightened, and she spat a powerful jet of water directly into the Balrog's face. Enveloped by a huge cloud of steam, the monster stepped back, shaking its head and bellowing. Just then, the bridge cracked beneath its feet.  
  
The Balrog seemed to fall in slow-motion as the stone crumbled under it, and Leya barely dodged the last flick of its whip. Gandalf, clinging desperately to the last remnants of the bridge, was unable to dodge. The whip struck him, and he tumbled into the darkness.  



	9. Farewell

Leya has had a number of other adventures as well. Her story can be found at the Union of Worlds webpage, under . (For interest's sake, the ability to take a human form was acquired during her space travels, after the story Fairwater Bay takes place, and is not a common skill on Tryllva).  
**Disclaimer:** I still do not own any part of Middle Earth.   
**Reviews:** Many thanks to Sunrunner for sticking with the story and reviewing again. No, I don't know why more people aren't reading it. Tell all your friends; maybe they will! :p  


* * *

  
Leya folded her wings and plunged into the blackness, realizing too late that a rescue attempt was futile. Gandalf had already fallen too far; it would be impossible for her to reach him. Unfurling her wings again, she turned and rose towards the remains of the bridge. As soon as she landed on solid rock, Leya began to run. The others were already moving down a winding tunnel ahead, and she followed them, dodging the few orcs that Legolas had not managed to slay. She caught up with the remainder of the party just as they burst out into the bright light of day.  
  
The certain death of Gandalf had affected them all, and as soon as they were free of the orc-infested tunnels most of the Fellowship collapsed in shock. Leya lay down amid the hobbits, draping a sheltering wing over Merry and Pippin and trying to do the same for Frodo and Sam. However, the Ring-bearer preferred to mourn alone. He darted out from underneath the taut membrane just as it spread over him. Leya folded the wing, still holding the other one over two of the hobbits, and laid her head on her front paws with a sigh.  
  
They did not have long to rest, however. Aragorn demanded that they rise and move along, before the end of the day brought orcs out of the caves in search of them. Leya helped Merry and Pippin to their feet and turned to follow the Ranger who was now their leader. They had a long journey ahead of them before they could feel safe.  
  
Despite being exhausted from the day's battles, the group travelled as fast as they could. Leya was glad to be out of the caves and happily flew above them, her strong wingbeats often propelling her so far ahead that Aragorn had to sprint to catch up and point the way. Soaring above the others, the dragon was the first to catch sight of the distant woods of Lothlórien. As they approached the beautiful forest, she fell back a little and glided gently to the ground, for it would be almost impossible for her to flap her wings among the densely clustered trees. After landing, she glanced behind her to ensure that they were not being followed, as she was now bringing up the rear.  
  
It was then that Leya noticed a movement in the sky. Something was falling swiftly towards the forest, and for a moment she froze. It was coming towards them! Seeing her intense look of concentration and distrust, Legolas, Boromir and Aragorn turned in the same direction and readied their weapons. As the object approached, Leya saw that it was smooth, and pale in colour. Suddenly it dawned on her - this was the shuttle, come to take her off the planet at last! She had forgotten about it completely in the dangerous journey through the mines.  
  
Suddenly relaxed, Leya called to the remaining members of the Fellowship. Put down your weapons! It's only someone come to take me home. The shuttle descended in a long arc and finally landed on the open meadow, some distance from where they stood. Leya turned to her companions one last time. As I said, I intended to linger here but a short time, and in any case you have an important mission to fulfill. I must enter that vehicle which you see there in the grass, and it will transport me... uh... by a sort of magic to the place from which I came. _I guess starcraft and shuttle technology would seem like magic even if I tried to explain it to them_, she thought.  
  
In light of her heroic behaviour in the Mines of Moria, some were in favour of having Leya remain with the Fellowship, despite concerns that she might have pressing commitments of her own. The hobbits in particular wanted her to stay, for they had been alternately fascinated and awed by her throughout the journey. However, Leya knew that any talk of her replacing the fallen wizard was merely wishful thinking. _I may have helped them_, she thought, _but I still have little knowledge of their world and the perils of their quest. It is best that they go without me. _The difficulty of this seemingly obvious admission surprised her.  
  
I must admit I have no family to return to; I had a mate, but he is dead, and our children have grown explained Leya. However, I would greatly like to see my homeland again, and my transportation awaits. You must continue on your journey without me. I will not forget you, or the small part I played in your quest. There was sadness in Leya's strong voice. She gave each remaining member of the Fellowship a dragon-kiss on the cheek or forehead with her long tongue, then turned and walked towards the shuttle.  
  
As she neared it, the door swung quietly open, and Leya looked back at the group standing in the shadow of the trees. Sad smiles adorned most faces. Legolas' gaze was blank, and Aragorn looked tired and worried. Boromir, who had been the first to encounter Leya, seemed almost disappointed. Frodo looked overwhelmed. Pippin was crying a little.   
Leya tore her gaze away and stepped slowly into the small shuttle. The door closed behind her, and those watching saw the craft lift from the ground with a puff of smoke and rise swiftly into the sky. Then they moved into the forest in the gathering dusk.  
  
For Leya, the adventure was over. For Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, the adventure had barely begun.  
  
  
  


~ The End ~


End file.
